Bust A Gut.

Our attention pretty instinctively goes to the head-turning, brightly colored concoctions that come out of the Big Tex Choice Awards each State Fair of Texas season. So it's pretty easy for the rest of the options offered up at the fair each year to fly under the radar.

But, just like the award winners themselves, the other featured foods are a way to showcase culinary innovation by taking classic fair foods up a notch, Texas-style. And this year's non-award-winning options are especially interesting as far as setting a standard for gut-busting creativity.

Below, let's take a look at these items, along with their official descriptions, courtesy of the State Fair. Then, when the fair opens on September 25, we indulge.

Fried Kettle Corn. “A classic fair food just begging to be deep fried. Homemade kettle corn is formed into old- fashioned popcorn balls, dipped in pancake batter and fried until golden brown. Then each ball is topped with salted caramel sauce for a sweet, salty, crunchy experience like none other.”

Coco-Rita “Fresh whole young coconut with a cut off top, emptied out and filled with either frozen strawberry margarita or piña colada margarita. It's complemented with a straw, umbrella and a spoon.”

Fried East Texas Sausage & Cheese on a Stick. “Beer battered sausage and cheddar cheese with a touch of jalapeños, fried to a golden brown on a stick.”

Fried Flan Cake. “The decadence of homemade chocolate cake is baked over a creamy caramel flan, before being battered and fried to deep golden perfection. This moist confection is crowned with whipped cream and a delightful caramel sauce that will make your mother proud.”

Milk Chocolate Bacon on a Stick. “Quarter pound of bacon threaded on a wooden skewer, deep fried, finished on the grill dipped in cacao milk chocolate.”

Pulled Pork Mash. “Enjoy a delicious barbecue meal served in a convenient see-thru cup, without all the mess! Walk, talk, scoop and eat the savory, tender, juicy, and spiced to perfection pulled pork combined with equal layers of buttery mashed potatoes and a pickle slice of choice (dill or banana pickle) to top off the satisfying and scrumptiously presented meal with a fork for scooping.”

Tropical Shrimp Kabob. “Tropical shrimp kabob with onion, pineapple and shrimp grilled to perfection with the perfect blend of island spices and tropical glaze to produce a succulent one of a kind taste.”

Pumpkin Spice Donut Chip. “It is a delicious deep fried crisp donut chip coated with our pumpkin spiced glaze that delivers a crunchy sweet bite. And if your sweet tooth is not yet bursting with excitement, the donut chip is served with a decadent scoop of ice cream smothered with our cinnamon candied maple bacon – the perfect fall treat!”

Texas Bull Horn. “Unique succulent beef and pork sausage infused with jalapeño and cheddar cheese, stuffed in a 360-degree fresh daily hand cut potatoshell, and deep fried on a stick. Now you can have your hot dog and fries in one hearty bite.”

Nachos Dog. “Our large boat of Texas chips covered with cheddar cheese with a quarter pound all meat Texas frankfurter topped with Texas chili, salsa, jalapeños, with two scoops of sour cream decorated with a mini Texas state flag.”

The Ultimate Nachos Dog. “Our large boat of Texas chips covered with cheddar cheese with a quarter pound Texas frankfurter topped with Texas chili, salsa, Texas pulled pork BBQ, BBQ sauce, bacon pieces, jalapeños, with two scoops each of sour cream and guacamole, decorated with a mini Texas state flag.”

S'more Beer. “Imagine sitting around the campfire with an ice cold cup, trimmed with chocolate and graham cracker crumbs, and filled to the top with an imperial milk stout beer which has sweet caramel notes, a touch of vanilla and a thick rich milk chocolate head. Your pallet will be confused: Is this a beer or a taste of campfire s'mores? It's both — chocolate, graham cracker crumbs, a milk stout beer with a hint of caramel and vanilla and a rich chocolate balance, topped with a large marshmallow.”

Lemonade on a Stick. “Nothing is more refreshing than Freshly Squeezed Lemonade made with natural lemon juice. With its bold Texas size lemon flavor, this is the best lemonade in Texas.”

Texas Sweet Tea on a Stick. “This is a traditional Texas sweet tea recipe with a splash of zesty, lemony goodness. The best part is you can eat it!”